In this episode we unpack the Second essay in German Existentialist Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's classic work "The Genealogy of Morals" from 1887.

This Essay Explores...

• The Origins of Punishment


• The Psychology of Guilt


• The Link Between Civilization and Bad Conscience

Links to Reading & Articles mentioned

⁠On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche⁠

*note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode!

Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Samuel Le Coutour

Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠Polyenso⁠

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

03:16 Questions Nietzsche is Trying to Answer

04:12 Origin of Punishment vs. Utility of Punishment

08:25 Punishment Hardens the Individual

10:24 The Etymology of the word “Guilt”

11:01 The Creditor/Debtor Relationship

12:32 Suffering as Compensation

13:48 Suffering as Entertainment Throughout History 

14:39 The Link between Sadism and Social Status

17:14 Grace as a Form of Domination

19:31 The Social Contract

22:52 Lack of Free Will in Early Punishment

24:20 Nietzsche’s Hypothesis on the Origin of Bad Conscience

24:30 The State of Nature Theory

27:10 Turing The Will to Power Against Oneself

32:30 Masochism 

33:34 Punishment as Entertainment for the Gods

34:47 Aristocrats Create Bad Conscience in Slaves

37:46 Ancestor Worship

40:22 Original Sin / The Psychology of Guilt

44:43 Debt Becoming Spiritual and Internal

46:19 Internalizing the Creditor/Debtor Dynamic within One’s own Conscience

48:59 Nietzsche’s Views on Bad Conscience / The Sovereign Individual

52:40 Wrapping up/ Outro